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Clinch County, Georgia

Natural disaster risk, federal disaster history and flood insurance facts.

Very Low overall risk
107th of 159highest risk in Georgia
$5Mexpected losses a year
18federal declarations
1 in 53homes with flood insurance
Photo: U.S. Geological Survey, public domain

Clinch County, Georgia has a very low overall risk from natural hazards in FEMA's National Risk Index. Its risk score is lower than 79% of US counties. It ranks 107th of 159 counties in Georgia. The costliest hazards here are inland flooding, hurricanes and tornadoes. FEMA estimates about $4.6 million a year in expected losses, or roughly $679 per resident. Since 1977 it has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events (9 major disasters). The most recent was in April 2026 (Pineland Road Fire). About 1 in 53 homes here carry federal flood insurance (55 policies).

FEMA National Risk Index December 2025; OpenFEMA declarations to Nov 6, 2026; NFIP records. Updated November 6, 2026.

Top risks in Clinch County

$2.1 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 7 years.
  • Check the FEMA flood map for your address, and ask the seller or landlord about past flooding.
  • Price a flood policy now. Most new federal policies take 30 days to start.

Hurricane

Moderate
$1.6 million a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • Know your evacuation zone and route before June 1.
  • Ask about roof age, shutters and the separate wind or hurricane deductible on your home policy.
$312,603 a yearExpected losses. Damaging events about once every 3 years.
  • Pick a shelter spot: a basement, or an inside room on the lowest floor with no windows.
  • Turn on emergency alerts on your phone and keep a weather radio.
HazardRatingScoreExpected loss a year
Inland floodingVery Low29.0
$2M
HurricaneModerate82.3
$2M
TornadoLow29.9
$313K
Cold waveVery Low15.2
$95K
DroughtLow50.9
$95K
LightningLow35.4
$82K
Heat waveVery Low28.3
$75K
EarthquakeVery Low36.1
$72K
Strong windVery Low11.1
$51K
WildfireVery Low54.2
$37K
HailVery Low13.3
$27K
Winter weatherVery Low4.8
$2K
Ice stormVery Low1.9
$492
LandslideVery Low0.1
$0

Scores are percentiles: a score of 90 means higher risk than about 90% of US counties for that hazard. Hazards FEMA does not rate here are left out. Social vulnerability is very high and community resilience is relatively moderate in FEMA's measures.

Federal disaster history

Recent disasters nationwide ›

Declarations by decade

Federal declarations for natural events that included Clinch County. 2020s bar runs to November 2026.

By type

Hurricane8
Severe Storm3
Tropical Storm3
Fire2
Drought1
Flood1

Most recent

Apr 21, 2026Pineland Road FireFire management
Sep 30, 2024Hurricane HeleneMajor disaster
Sep 26, 2024Hurricane HeleneEmergency
Sep 24, 2024Tropical Storm DebbyMajor disaster
Aug 5, 2024Hurricane DebbyEmergency
Sep 7, 2023Hurricane IdaliaMajor disaster
Oct 10, 2018Hurricane MichaelEmergency
Sep 15, 2017Hurricane IrmaMajor disaster
Sep 8, 2017Hurricane IrmaEmergency
May 8, 2017West Mims FireFire management
Show all 18
Oct 6, 2016Hurricane MatthewEmergency
Apr 23, 2009Severe Storms, Flooding, Tornadoes, and Straight-Line WindsMajor disaster
Sep 5, 2005Hurricane Katrina EvacuationEmergency
Sep 24, 2004Tropical Storm FrancesMajor disaster
Mar 11, 1998Severe Storms and FloodingMajor disaster
Oct 19, 1994Heavy Rains, Tornados, Flooding, High WindsMajor disaster
Mar 15, 1991Severe Storms & FloodingMajor disaster
Jul 20, 1977DroughtEmergency

Georgia also had 8 statewide declarations that did not name single counties.

Storm history since 1974

Tornado risk by county ›

The National Weather Service has logged 240 storm reports in Clinch County since 1974 and about $1 million in reported damage. The strongest on record here was an F2 tornado on December 5, 2005 near Dupont.

9tornadoes
49hail reports, largest 2.5 inches
159damaging thunderstorm winds
5floods and flash floods

Strongest tornadoes

DateStrengthNearHurt / killed
Dec 5, 2005F2Dupont0 / 0
Apr 28, 1997F1Argyle0 / 0
Apr 1, 2016EF1Cogdell0 / 0
Mar 9, 2024EF1Cogdell0 / 0
Apr 24, 2000F0Dupont0 / 0

Most damaging storms

DateTypeNearDamage
Apr 17, 2022Thunderstorm WindArgyle$500K
Apr 28, 1997TornadoArgyle$150K
Jul 20, 2018LightningHomerville Arpt$150K
Jun 5, 1998Thunderstorm WindHomerville$25K
Jan 2, 1999Thunderstorm WindHomerville$25K
Dec 24, 2002Thunderstorm WindHomerville$20K

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, county-based reports through Jun 19, 2026. Tornado records start in 1950, hail and wind in 1955, and floods and other storm types in 1996, so older decades undercount. Damage is in dollars of the year it happened and is often an estimate. Winter storms, heat and hurricanes are logged by forecast zone, not county, so they are not counted here.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Hurricane risk by county ›

Since 1852, 10 hurricanes and 61 tropical storms have passed within 65 miles of the center of Clinch County, 30 of them since 1950. The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with top winds near 125 mph about 64 miles away.

10hurricanes
3major hurricanes (Category 3+)
61tropical storms
2024most recent: Helene

Strongest storms nearby

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 3, 125 mph64 mi
Oct 2, 1898UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph62 mi
Sep 29, 1896UnnamedCategory 3, 115 mph61 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 2, 105 mph59 mi
Oct 10, 1852UnnamedCategory 1, 90 mph62 mi
Oct 9, 1894UnnamedCategory 1, 85 mph60 mi

Most recent storms

DateStormStrengthClosest
Sep 27, 2024HeleneCategory 3, 125 mph64 mi
Aug 5, 2024DebbyTropical storm, 65 mph61 mi
Aug 30, 2023IdaliaCategory 2, 105 mph59 mi
Sep 9, 2021MindyTropical storm, 40 mph54 mi
Jul 7, 2021ElsaTropical storm, 55 mph64 mi
Nov 12, 2020EtaTropical storm, 45 mph64 mi

Source: NOAA National Hurricane Center best-track records (HURDAT2), 1851 to 2025 for the Atlantic and 1949 to 2025 for the eastern Pacific. A storm counts if its track passed within 65 miles of the county's center while it was a tropical storm or hurricane. Strength is the storm's top sustained wind at that point, not the wind measured in the county. Older storms over the open sea were sometimes missed.

Flood insurance in Clinch County

Check your address flood zone ›
1.9%of homes have federal flood insurance (55 policies)
10.8%of homes in mapped high-risk flood zones are insured
$1,100paid on 5 flood claims since 1978
2016costliest year, with $1,100 paid

National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) records only; private flood policies are not included. Home counts as of Aug 3, 2026. Since 2021 NFIP prices each home separately under Risk Rating 2.0, so your price depends on the building, not the county. Ask an agent for a quote.

Homes in Clinch County

$84,400median home value (Georgia $303,300, US $332,700)
1980median year homes were built (Georgia 1992, US 1980)
50%of homes built before 1980, before many modern wind, quake and flood building rules
28%of homes are mobile homes, which are the least safe in tornadoes and high winds

Older homes and mobile homes usually suffer more damage in storms, floods and earthquakes, and can cost more to insure. If you are buying, ask about roof age, foundation bolting and any retrofits. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates; 3,037 housing units.

Compare in Georgia

All 159 ›
Largest countiesOverall riskTop hazard
Fulton CountyHighInland flooding
Gwinnett CountyHighInland flooding
Cobb CountyHighInland flooding
DeKalb CountyModerateInland flooding
Clayton CountyModerateInland flooding
Chatham CountyHighHurricane
Cherokee CountyModerateInland flooding
Forsyth CountyModerateInland flooding

Neighboring counties

CountyOverall riskDeclarations
Columbia County, FLLow35
Ware CountyLow22
Baker County, FLVery Low38
Lanier CountyVery Low15
Atkinson CountyVery Low17
Echols CountyVery Low17

Common questions about Clinch County

What is the biggest natural hazard in Clinch County?

Inland flooding has the highest expected yearly losses in Clinch County, about $2.1 million a year in FEMA's estimate. Hurricane is second at $1.6 million.

How many federal disasters has Clinch County had?

Clinch County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations for natural events since 1977, including 9 major disasters. The most recent was Pineland Road Fire in April 2026.

Is Clinch County a high-risk place to live?

Its overall rating is Very Low, 107th highest of 159 in Georgia. A county rating covers the whole area. Risk at one address can be much higher or lower, so check the FEMA flood map and ask about the home's history.

Do I need flood insurance in Clinch County?

Standard home insurance does not cover flooding. About 1 in 53 homes in Clinch County has federal flood insurance. Lenders require it in mapped high-risk zones, but many flood claims come from outside those zones.

How many tornadoes has Clinch County had?

NOAA records list 9 tornadoes in Clinch County since 1950. The strongest was an F2 tornado on December 5, 2005 near Dupont. The weather service has also logged 49 hail reports and 5 floods here.

How many hurricanes have hit Clinch County?

NOAA's hurricane records show 10 hurricanes and 61 tropical storms passing within 65 miles of the center of Clinch County, including 3 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). The strongest was Hurricane Helene (2024), with winds near 125 mph.

Sources: FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025), OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations Summaries, and NFIP policy and claims data. Hazard Compass is independent and not affiliated with FEMA. These figures describe the whole county, not a single property, and are not insurance or safety advice. Report a problem.